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Follow the Leader
began back at the crowd of Ben Tennyson's event. His speech in regards to the action he would take against the street gangs in town were made clear, and he was just wrapping up. The two bodies of Ben Tennyson returned to one by simply tapping each other's Omnitrixes together, a form of interaction that would normally cause mass havoc--or at the very least, unfavorable physical mutation to one of the parties...well, unfavorable for Tennyson. The team isn't here to help Ben or want the best for him. The team is there to take him down. As I spoke to Harry and Arabelle, my two remaining friends at the back of the crowd who were now beginning to disperse (with some being led away in Polymorph bubbles by an array of alien Ascals), the rest of my party arrived--Shane as Skipper and Nadine as Nerve. But where was Ethan... Kai: Looks like you guys made it out okay. What happened with the Kove?Where's Ethan? Arabelle gasps, looking down in Nadine's arms. What? Arabelle shakes, raising her right hand and pointing to the lower body of Nadine. Kai looks down, finding Ethan's body being carried in her hands. Kai had completely disregarded Nadine's lower body earlier, but she now had full focus on the unsettling sight of her breathless boyfriend held in the arms of one of her best friends. What...no...what...what happened? Shane: We...we couldn't save him. The Kove was out for blood. Nadine: Looks like we're going to be out for the same thing soon. Shane: What? Nadine: They took a member of S.H.A.N.E. away. We're "S.H.A.N." now. Shane: I understand that part. Ethan needs to be avenged, but taking out Ben, getting that superpowered sword of his and using it to remove everyone's powers...that's the way to solve this all. We don't need to take any blood that doesn't need taking. Kai: You chose the wrong day to be the optimistic one, Shane. Arabelle: Ethan used to be that one... Shane: I'm sorry, but I'm the leader of this team and-- Nadine: Whoa, whoa, whoa, you're *not* the leader of this team. Shane: Newsflash! The team's got my name written all over it, literally. Nadine: Pfft. Nadine accidentally drops Ethan's body, which Harry rushes over and picks up. Kai: Ethan, baby! Kai runs over to Ethan then looks up to Nadine. You're a heartless person, Nadine. Nadine and Shane are completely distracted, though. They have engaged in war involving only frightful stares. Nadine: I'm the leader of this team. Just because your name's on it--which it won't be pretty soon--doesn't mean I can't. Plus, I'm the strongest anyway. I can beat the living snot out of you with three arms tied behind my back. Might even be able to do four. Shane: You couldn't catch me if your life depended on it. Shane and Nadine's faces move closer to each other and cock their heads as their war continues. So go ahead and try me. Harry: Really? "If your life depended on it?" Sometimes, Shane, you just-- Nadine: Shut it, "Howler." I think the "leader" needs a good old-fashioned beating halfway around the Earth, don't you think? Arabelle: Shane! Nadine! Stop! With Shane and Nadine just having become ready for a physical brawl, they turn their heads to Arabelle. Thank you. She walks over to Kai and puts her hand on her shoulder. I'm extremely sorry for your loss, Kai. It's really a loss for all of us, but I know after losing your dad...I know what you must be going through. Kai: Thanks, Ara'. Arabelle: Now, what happened to Ethan exactly? Nadine as Nerve and Shane as Skipper exchange angered expressions just before opening their eyes wide and reverting to their standard forms. Shane: We followed Ethan a bit up the street while he was following some Kove guy on a hoverboard like my now broken one, except his was made out of nanochips. Nadine: Then we get surprise-attacked. A bunch of those Koves appeared around us, and so did their leader from up above, who commanded them. Arabelle: What was his name? Nadine: Err, I don't really remember. Shane: It was Ethan Borek. Arabelle: No... Shane: Yes. Somehow he got some really awesome powers. He also isn't the leader, but he's just about as powerful position-wise. He's the second-in-command of the Kove, and he ordered Ethan's death. He said it was a warning for Ben. Arabelle looks ahead, just over Nadine and Shane's bodies, to see Ben walking away with several Ascals around him. Arabelle: Well, there he is. Should we tell him? Shane and Nadine (in unison): No way. Shane: Err, I mean, no. We can't afford to help Tennyson in anyway. We're in a bad position as it is having lost Ethan. Arabelle: So, you'd say we need a new member? Shane: Of course. "S.H.A.N."'s not as clever as "S.H.A.N.E." We need another person whose name starts with E. Kai: Or what about a girl whose name starts with K. Shane: "S.H.A.N.K."? Nah, I think it gives a bad vibe for us. Nadine: Vibes? Really? Shane: Well, it does, doesn't it? Nadine: Sometimes, Shane-- Arabelle: I think Kai wants to join us, Shane. Shane: What? No way, does she even have any powers? Kai: I do, actually. Flaming sleeves appear on her standard sleeves, extending from her wrist up to her shoulder. Her hands remain flesh-only. Yes, I do. Shane: Whoa...well, I still say we already have too many of us whose powers are just well, power. We need some more people who aren't just attacking. With Ethan gone, we don't have much defense in battle anymore. Kai raises her eyebrow. Her flames fade back into her standard sleeves. Her sleeves are soon covered by a layer of ice. She then raises a short wall of ice out of the ground. Kai looks to Shane again, raising her eyes. Well, I say it's still not enough. Little walls aren't going to protect us. Kai checks around the area for Ascals then raises a much taller ice wall. She raises her brow again. Pfft. That won't protect us at all angles. Kai gives Shane a look which completely phases him as he crosses his arms awaiting her completion of the hinted challenge. She begins to work to turn her wall into a full icy dome around the team, but shortly before completing the back end, she finds herself out of energy. The rest of the dome begins to break as Kai faints. Nadine transforms back into Nerve and smashes a hole into a wall. She has everyone run out the door then runs out in her human form. The dome proceeds to slowly break after everyone has left. Nadine picks up Kai, who shortly after wakes up. She jumps out of Nadine's arm and lands on her feet, but just barely. Kai: Alright, so I guess I'm not on your stupid team, even though I'm way more powerful than any of you. Ethan's versatile, and I am too. My powers can help this team, but no, you need an army in a 17 year old girl's body. Kai turns around and crosses her arms. She takes Ethan out of Harry's arms, where he was held to escape the breaking ice dome, and lays him on the floor next to the crushed ice. Arabelle walks over to her and yet again pats her on the shoulder. Arabelle turns around to Shane. Arabelle: Kai is the most powerful person on this team, Shane. Admit it. And even if you don't, you're not the decided leader. We are going to put this to a vote. All in favor. She and Harry raise their hands, while Nadine and Shane remain idle. Nadine, not even you? I thought you were just into this. Nadine: I'm fine with a new teammate, but I agree with Shane. We need someone with defense in mind. Arabelle: Nadine, you know Gwen Tennyson, don't you? Nadine: Yeah, Tennyson's cousin. Arabelle: You know she has nothing to do with Ben's rule, right? Nadine: Yeah. She's in Zoraster in that magic dimension. Arabelle: Good. Then you must also know that she's come a long way only in two years. She started training with her powers seven years ago, when she was ten, but she didn't even scratch the surface with them. Two years ago, when she joined Ben and Kevin Levin to stop the Highbreed, the kind of shields she had were around the size of Kai's walls and made of mana. Kai's are made of ice, yeah, but I bet you they're more durable and easier to maintain. So, are you still not on board with Kai being our girl? Nadine attempts to make a rebut but only a sigh escapes her lips before they shut. She raises her hand. Majority rule, Shane. Shane: I guess. Arabelle smiles then looks back to Kai. Arabelle: Kai, (Stands up, Kai following suit) welcome to the team--welcome to S.H.A.N.E. Shane: But what's her codename? I've literally been standing here thinking of a name these last, like, five minutes. Arabelle: I was thinking, too. Kai, which of your powers do you use most? Kai: Fire, of course. Tennyson's gonna meet with the Inferno when we sees me. Arabelle: Not the Inferno, Kai, the Ember. Kai: I...I like it. Kai, Nadine, Harry, and Arabelle kneel over Ethan. Shane arrives last, at Arabelle's side. He whispers to her. Shane (whispering): You...were great. Arabelle (whispering): What? Shane: With the voting, with inducting Kai. Arabelle: You think so? Shane: Yeah...definitely handled better than me. Arabelle: What do you have against Kai? You normally accept literally everybody. Shane: I've read about her. She'll stab you in the back in the most, for lack of a more intelligent term, heartrending way. Arabelle: I know what she did to Ben. But that was one time, seven years ago. She's changed, I guarantee you that. Ethan and her were together a long time, you know? Shane: I guess...but a leader's got to have full trust in his teammates, doesn't he? Arabelle: About that, I don't really think everybody wants you to be leader, Shane. Shane: I think Nadine made that pretty clear, and you did a bit of poking at it yourself. Arabelle: Yeah...sorry. Shane: Don't be. It's true. I must have full trust in my teammates, and I don't. Arabelle: Again, you're not the leader. No one ever established it. Shane: I know. But we're going to establish it now. Shane stands up and faces the rest of S.H.A.N.E. They all look up to him, but do not get up. Arabelle: Wait, Shane-- Shane: We haven't made a leader for the team clear yet, and I think it's time we did. Arabelle: Shane-- Shane: So let's do it. All in favor of-- Arabelle: Shane, they don't-- Shane: --Arabelle, put your hands up. Arabelle: --want...wait, what? Instinctively, everyone thrusts their arms up as quickly as possible, including Shane. Shane...really? Shane: I'm not a true leader yet. It's like putting Kid Wonder in charge of a team when he's only 13. He's awesome, but teamwork and trust are two things not always in mind. Now, then, I believe that makes a unanimous vote. He puts his left hand out to Arabelle, palm facing upward for her to grab and be pulled up by. She gets up onto her feet and stands next to Shane. Welcome Arabelle Lewis as the S.H.A.N.E. leader and director. Everyone claps. Arabelle: Thank you, everybody, really. I've never really thought about taking a part like this before you, but I won't let you down. So...first order of business: (she smacks the side of her fist down on her open palm) Revenge. case you were wondering, my name is Kai, codename Ember, newest member of S.H.A.N.E. Sorry I couldn't say much, as opposed to my friends. It was my choice. I'm sure Ara' will please you as a narrator next time. OF EPISODE Category:Episodes Category:Clad in Darkness Chronology